


The Little Things

by sidewinder



Series: The Spaces in Between [13]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Community: slashthedrabble, Episode related: Season 09, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 06:04:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6893101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidewinder/pseuds/sidewinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chester notices things, even if Fin doesn't want to talk about them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Little Things

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [slashthedrabble](http://slashthedrabble.livejournal.com/) prompt #399: Time of Day.

“I drink another cup of coffee, I ain’t gonna sleep for a week.” Fin sat back down at their window-side table with an annoyed sigh.

“Switch to decaf?” Chester suggested.

“Nah. I’ll take insomnia over that shit.”

Fin pretended to read his book while Chester watched the street outside. A series of recent sexual assaults in this neighborhood only had one common thread: the victims regularly stopped at this coffee shop before evening classes at nearby Hudson University. The detectives had a rough sketch of the perpetrator and were hoping to catch sight of him here before he struck again. Unfortunately that had translated to a lot of sitting around and a lot of coffee consumed this week with so far no luck, no suspect.

But at least no more reported rapes, either.

Chester didn’t mind this kind of work as much as Fin seemed to. He had patience and an eye for little things, small details. It’s what made him a good detective—at least that’s what the commendations in his jacket said. He already recognized the evening regulars after three nights, knew their routines. Now to notice someone who broke that pattern, who fit their sketch and seemed more interested in co-eds than caffeine.

Fin generally wasn’t one for chitchat, especially when they were out on case, so several minutes passed silently until Fin’s cellphone buzzed against their tabletop. “Tutuola,” he answered gruffly, and then, “Hey. No, nothin’ yet, gonna give it at least another hour. Uh-huh. Okay.” Fin put the phone back down and took a sip of his coffee.

“Sergeant Munch checking in,” Chester said, not so much as a guess but a statement of obvious (to him) fact.

“Yeah,” Fin answered absently, then frowned and cast a suspicious look at Chester. “How’d you know?”

“Easy. It’s seven o’clock—or a few minutes after such. He always calls you this time of night if you’re not at the precinct.”

“Oh. Well you know, only so much in the department budget for overtime.”

“Right.” Chester smiled. He noticed things. “But it’s also your tone of voice. That changes whenever you talk to the sergeant on the phone compared anyone else. It’s softer.” He paused, then added, “Intimate.”

Fin shrugged and glanced out the window, at nothing in particular. “We were partners for seven years, we’re friends.”

“Yeah, but it’s more than that, isn’t it?” Fin’s gaze turned sharply onto the younger man. “It’s okay, Fin. Your sexuality is your business. I don’t have a problem with it. Or your relationship.”

“Glad I have your approval.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I meant you don’t have to hide who you are from me.” Chester sighed. “Sorry I said anything.”

“Didn’t mean to be rude, just…”

“It’s personal. I get it.”

“And not everyone’s always so understanding.”

“I get that, too.”

Fin nodded, then went back to not-reading his book. Chester returned to studying the space around them, wondering if he could ever win his new partner’s trust.

 


End file.
